Reality
by garnet eyes
Summary: Life is a subjective thing and it isn't always easy to know where the lines are drawn between what is and what isn't. AU Cloud x Sephiroth.


Title: Reality

Author: Garnet Eyes

Archived: fanfiction. net

Summary: Is it really insanity?

Rating: T

Pairings: Cloud x Sephiroth

Author Notes: I have not had the time to watch/play anything in the Final Fantasy VII universe beyond the original game and Advent Children. Therefore, I am certain there are inconsistencies between my writing and newer games or movies.

Disclaimers: Final Fantasy VII is owned by Squaresoft and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Hissing in quiet pain, the weary General stretched himself flatter against the bedding under him. The straw under the ground sheet prodded uncomfortably at his bare stomach and the sound of night crickets was overly loud to his sensitive hearing. After all of the stress of the day, there was nothing he wanted more than to fall unconscious and heal from the strenuous battles he had been part of. That particular desire would remain unfulfilled if he could not get a little more comfortable. His back was sore, his shoulders ached, and he could bet that the rest of the SOLDIERs in his unit weren't doing any better. War was bad enough without the threat of Mako-warped beasts rampaging around as well.

A subtle shift in the air alerted him to the presence approaching before any noise gave it away. A smooth twist of his body had the silver warrior crouched on his feet, a wakizashi in hand and Masamune close by. Instead of the expected attack, a small blonde soldier lifted up the flap and stepped in. Jade eyes closed, a soft noise of residual pain slipping from his lips. Needing no other prompting, the boy sat behind the older male and began gently massaging away the tenderness. Long, pale fingers clenched into the sheets although no sound escaped the weary SOLDIER. The delicate touch immediately chased away all external pain, leaving only the bitterness welling up inside the General's chest.

Liquid splashed against his exposed thigh, followed by another drop and then another. Shoulders shaking, the war veteran refused to outright sob; the tears were a silent grievance for his loss. The wound was fresh and bleeding too heavily to staunch --- not even the strongest cure could do a thing --- the scream of a nearby soldier was drowned out in hectic explosions ---

Small hands pressed firmly against his shoulders, slowing the wracking sensation although that did nothing to stave off the thick feeling in his throat. There had been a spy among his ranks and the betrayal was far reaching. Much farther than anyone could even understand. Zackary was unharmed as of that evening, leading his own unit from one shaky victory to the next, but what difference did friendship make now?

With a shuttered breath, elegant hands laid atop smaller ones, noting the coolness of them. A gentle tug brought the boy to stand and reseat himself in front of the SOLDIER. Jade eyes traced over the thick, shiny mass of gold haphazardly situated atop a cherub face. Tan skin was a shade paler than normal and expressive blue eyes were clouded over. One large hand lifted to trace the side of the young face, taking in the serene expression and dirt-smudged skin. Cat eyes inevitably dropped to the slender neck and further still, unable to turn away from the torn uniform surrounding the bloody, gaping wound through the chest.

"Cloud…"

The boy was dead. His link to reality had severed and the General knew it. Surprisingly, he could not bring himself to care that he was growing more insane with each passing day. This war had taken his sunshine and left nothing but dark despair. The General did not mind living up to the titles he had acquired from the last war, unable to feel any regret for the opponents that fell before him. Cloud, the meek little mouse, took no pleasure in the loss of life but had always been there to support the SOLDIER no matter how thick the layers of blood soaking his hands. Even now those thin arms wrapped around the SOLDIER's torso, golden head resting on his shoulder.

"I love you."

It shamed him to admit that he had never said that simple phrase until seconds before the tenuous grip on his hand went lax and the smaller hand fell to the ground with a dull thump. The silver warrior should have said it often, if not in public. Instead, he let so much go unspoken. He had known the blonde's feelings, so there had been no pressing need to say anything.

Bringing a hand under the boy's chin, the SOLDIER tilted his blonde's head back as he lowered his own. Their lips met, cool and dry. Kisses had always been an unnecessary sign of affection before. Hojo had instilled that belief in the silver warrior at a young age. He should have known better by now, given how much utter nonsense he had been fed in order for the scientist to maintain some control over his mind.

With a slow, deliberate movement, the General pulled back and rested their foreheads together. A low, mirthless chuckle emerged from the back of his throat as jade eyes closed against further tears. All control had been lost as of the second those sky-hued eyes misted over. Hojo meant _nothing_.

"Never leave me, Cloud."

He couldn't deal with any more loss. Insane or not, he simply could not handle the blonde disappearing. A chill hand pressed against his bare chest, over his heart, and the larger man wrapped his arms around the smaller. The little mouse was _his_, now and forever.

..

Hojo frowned unhappily at the readings from the Mako tank before him. His prized creation had undergone some mental strain that had proved above and beyond his current training. It was unfortunate, but not completely unforeseen. After the physical damage was fully healed, the psychological aspect could be worked out.

"Professor, you said to come here for my next treatment?"

Distracted, the scientist failed to register cat eyes opening and instead turned to face the small blonde boy behind him. The teen was really rather remarkable for being of such inferior genes. The way his body handled Mako was fascinating.

"Of course, boy. This way –"

Alarms sounded and Hojo immediately turned back to the tank, startled to see the previously dormant SOLDIER violently attacking the case to get free. In his bewildered state, the scientist nearly dismissed the hardly notable fact that jade eyes focused unerringly on the small blonde boy deftly dodging around the flurry of assistants filtering in. Specimen 01's struggles increased exponentially as the young soldier weaved out of the way of the technicians and headed toward the far wall. By no means was Hojo oblivious and he was admittedly curious, so he took it upon himself to experiment.

"Strife, come over by me – you'll be less likely to get in the way."

His usual condescension promised that none of the technicians were aware of his ulterior motives. His specimen calmed slightly as the boy got closer, intriguingly enough. This called for further testing.

"Is it safe to stay this close?"

Dark eyes turned to regard the boy with a clinical eye.

"What do you expect? That he will break out and drench the lab in Mako? That would hardly be a problem for you."

An indignant flush colored the boy's face, but he remained stubbornly persistent.

"He's reacting badly. Is he seizuring?"

Concern colored those simple-minded words but Hojo dismissed it easily enough as the whim of inexperience.

"Highly improbable. Get closer and see for yourself: he is cognizant."

Or at least awake; Specimen 01's psychological stability was questionable. Pleasantly, the subtle manipulation had done as predicted and the boy moved warily forward. Those ridiculous emotions were so easy to prod in any given direction. Hojo watched in rapt attention as the little blonde subject closed in on his prized specimen. By now everyone had to be able to see that jade eyes were focused on the one closing in on him. As predicted, the violence of the struggles dropped drastically as the boy got close to the glass cylinder.

Uncharacteristically, Specimen 01 reached out in an attempt to grasp the boy's shoulder. Encountering glass instead, his prized specimen gained a peculiar desperation and his struggles renewed. Hojo found, to his surprise, that the boy did not hesitate to reach up a hand and place it flat-palmed against the tube. Specimen 01 gave one more vicious punch to the cylinder before settling down and bringing himself close to the bottom, pressing his own hand flat against the other side of the glass on top of the boy's. Dark eyes narrowed, irritated that the trauma seemed emotional in nature, before the tank's pressure sensors started spitting out warnings. There was a crack in the chamber. Specimen 01 had physically damaged a tank capable of withstanding multiple grenade detonations.

Barking angrily at the incompetent assistants, the scientist wondered for a moment why he could never find decent help. Expertly, he pushed an inept technician aside and started the emergency shutdown for the tank. Mako bubbled ominously as it drained down the bottom vents. It was never safe to do this instead of gradually filtering lower concentrations of Mako through until air could be reintroduced to the subject; the sudden change would leave the specimen physically pained by air and anything else that would touch his skin. Hojo was more concerned by the possibility of difficulty breathing and burns that could occur in the lung tissue. Critical eyes watched as Specimen 01 vomited out Mako, coughing harshly even as he staggered to his feet and all but fell out of the open tank. Still covered in a thin layer of transparent green, Specimen 01 gracelessly tumbled directly onto the startled blonde, immediately encasing the boy in his arms. With an awkward hesitance, the boy threaded thin arms around slick sides to rest lightly on the specimen's back.

Although this was an unaccounted for variable in his ongoing experiment, Hojo forced himself to not think of it as damaging. Perhaps something useful could stem from this. In the back of his rapidly churning mind, he considered it fortunate that the boy had such a high tolerance for Mako or he would be very ill by now. None of the laboratory personnel could touch Specimen 01 currently without protection, Hojo himself included. Raspy but soft-spoken, the SOLDIER articulated some thought to the boy lowly and the scientist felt his eyes narrow in annoyance when he realized that he could not hear the words. From the boy's reaction, they had to have been important. Annoyance quickly turned to frustration and then irritation as one small hand moved up from the bare back to press against the back of Specimen 01's head. The gesture was affectionate and in the already uncertain mental state he was in, the specimen would end up worse off in the long run. The SOLDIER was hard enough to control already.

"Strife, I believe we have an appointment."

Wide azure eyes turned toward the professor before the teen attempted to stand. It was a fruitless endeavor, as Specimen 01 was of greater bulk and in the perfect position to keep the boy in place. Pale eyes returned to the body encumbering him as thin limbs settled back to cradle the now shivering form. Stepping closer, the brunette deftly avoided the small, slick puddles of Mako near the pair.

"He needs to be moved to a new chamber, boy."

Disbelief filtered into blue eyes and it was only mildly surprising that the quiet, self-contained child replied.

"He needs rest more than anything, sir. Mako poisoning--"

The teen silenced himself, but dark eyes narrowed in moderate annoyance anyway. Unlikely though it was, any SOLDIER still suffered the possibility of Mako poisoning each time he was fully submersed. That did not mean Hojo would suffer rebuke from a mere child.

"He requires medical assistance. Or do _you_ believe you are capable of taking care of his wounds?"

The boy flushed in obvious embarrassment, fingers convulsively tightening against the weakened specimen. It was likely instinct that caused a reaction in the semi-conscious form, a guttural, menacing growl surging from the SOLDIER's throat as he maneuvered to place himself between the boy and perceived danger. Interesting and possibly useful in the future, but considering the feral expression on Specimen 01's face and that Hojo himself would be the first target, the situation had just become dangerous if not handled properly.

"Take him to recovery, then. When he is bathed and dressed, if he suffers no severe ill-effects from his release, he'll stay under observation there."

Although he did not outwardly change his expression, Hojo could admit to himself that he felt relief when the boy regained the focus of those deadly jade eyes. Specimen 01, for all of his power, had never actually turned toward any Shin-Ra employee with a battle-ready gaze. The professor felt overwhelming pride over his success in creating such a horrific weapon; the SOLDIER had earned every title he had accumulated during the Wutai/Shin-Ra War.

The boy guided Specimen 01 slowly to recovery, obviously aware of the intense pain that his abrupt release from the Mako was causing the SOLDIER. Oddly, the specimen was completely attentive to the blonde, ignoring all else in favor of the boy. Critical eyes narrowed on the staggering SOLDIER, already considering his options for how to manipulate the teen into being the default control to reign in 01 should he prove more willful in the future. Should the psychological damage he incurred be permanent, the experiment would need some fall back for the weakness created in him from burgeoning emotions. This was all turning into a mixed set back for Hojo's plans.

..

More than once now, he wondered if he was dreaming. He knew that he'd always been different – the people he'd grown up with wouldn't let him forget that – but _this_ was a bit much. After the initial Mako testing on the SOLDIER candidates, Cloud had noticed he was the only one feeling energized and ready for the challenges of the day. The scientists had all been interested in his reaction and the lead scientist in particular had talked about some complex thing that meant, as far as the blonde could tell, that he would be made a SOLDIER long before anyone else in his graduating class. Hojo was not the most pleasant individual, he had come to realize, even if the man tried to hide his more cruel side from Cloud. The teen wasn't _that_ oblivious, however, and he knew the "treatments" were thinly veiled experiments. He kept his knowledge to himself, focusing on his own goal. With the new war on the horizon, all candidates were well documented – Zack had told him that much – and the Professor would be forced to explain his "disappearance" when the Turks themselves had been keeping tabs of him.

All of that was just incidental to Cloud's dreams. More than anything, he had wanted to make his mother proud to be related to him and to meet the man he took solace in when he had been home in Nibelheim. Cloud had never idolized the War General, or at least not in the same way as the other boys. He had used the man's strength as a boon when life had overwhelmed him and after years of that the small town blonde thought it only right that he do his best to return the favor. Even if the General never recognized him, Cloud would feel better just knowing that he had done the man some good in some way.

Therefore, the short blonde was not entirely certain what had happened. One minute he had been in the laboratory for more experimental procedures and then he found himself with his arms full of Mako-soaked General before he helped the obviously aching man bathe and get in the recovery bed. Now he was lying with his naked back pressed against the sterile white sheets and his head on the thin, uncomfortable pillow, not the least bit tired, with an equally naked man curled against him, ear pressed to his chest as if keeping track of his heartbeat.

He had wanted to be useful to the SOLDIER, but he'd never really imagined that the world-renown man would even glance in his direction. To hear the General practically beg the blonde to stay at his side had been beyond the realm of possibilities. Cloud would have dismissed it as fever ramblings from Mako poisoning but it was hard to ignore the fact that he was called by his given name. As in _General Sephiroth_, the revered warrior, _knew his name_. The blonde couldn't really ask for anything more. He was being useful and he had been recognized; when he returned home he could finally look his mother in the eye and feel like he did some good. It would be cruel to wake up in the barracks now, but the blonde wouldn't be surprised if it happened.

Long, calloused fingers traced over his bare arm in a gentle caress, distracting the teen from his thoughts. Jade eyes were almost closed, a lazy, calm aura surrounding the man now where pure desperation had before. Wary of causing pain to tender flesh, the young SOLDIER candidate brought the same arm up to rest his palm against the liquid silver locks at the man's temple. For whatever reason, Cloud equated comfort and he would do what he could.

"Are you cold, sir?"

Woozy jade eyes turned up to stare directly into azure before a miniscule twitch at the corner of the older man's mouth gave way to the most breath-taking smile of pure happiness Cloud had ever seen.

"I am fine right now, Cloud."

Nodding to himself, the blonde used the leg that wasn't covered by the larger man's body to fish up the bed sheet.

"Still, you're wet from the shower and the air conditioning here will freeze you. It's best to have some covering."

Jade eyes shut with the quiet hum of acknowledgement the SOLDIER rumbled in his throat, remaining closed as the light sheet eventually made it over the man's shoulders. Satisfied that the weakened warrior would not catch a cold on top of the Mako poisoning, Cloud relaxed against the bed and closed his eyes. If this was a dream, he was going to savor it until he woke.


End file.
